The father of Julian Assange has said the WikiLeaks founder is “being subjected to every sort of torment” at Belmarsh prison as he awaits the hearing that could see him extradited to the US.

The whistleblower, who is being held alongside some of the UK’s most infamous criminals ahead of his extradition hearing in February, could face a maximum prison sentence of 175 years under charges laid down by Washington.

Now his father John Shipton has warned his son is suffering mentally and physically in prison.

Mr Shipton, who is due to accept an award from a whistleblower advocacy group on behalf of his son, said it was “extraordinary” that Assange was being held in one of the nation’s most notorious prisons despite calls for his release from the United Nations.

“The only people who are breaking the law are the UK government and the Crown Prosecution Service,” he said.

“I last visited Julian in August – he was a bit shaky, and is suffering from anxiety. He has lost a lot of weight. It is very distressing, and the intensity of his treatment has increased over the past year.

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